When I’m not working on Chandler I work in publishing and I’ve just written this blog post on google and the ebook for www.futurebook.net which I though I’d share.
Google and The Ebook
Reply
Pearls Are A Nuisance
‘Pearls Are A Nuisance’ is one of Chandler’s more unusual stories. It appeared in the Dime Detective in 1939 and is narrated by a heavy drinking, 6ft something Anglicized American by the name of Walter Gage who talks ‘the way Jane Austen writes’ despite his size and muscles (he played football in college we are told by his adoring girlfriend, Ellen). Continue reading
I’m Back
I had a bit of bad news recently but the upshot of this is that I can now focus full time on Chandler. I’ve neglected this blog for far too long but am chomping at the bit to let you know what I’ve been up to.
Chandler on Film?
I just stumbled across a video filmed on the 17th of March 1918 of Canadian soldiers being presented to America dignitaries at the CEF HQ on the Western Front.The significance of this is that Chandler arrived in France on 16th of March and it is easy to imagine that Canadian commanders would show off their freshest troops. It is a long shot of course but I can’t help but wonder as I watch this video if Chandler is amongst these men. Continue reading
Chandler on the BBC
I was recently interviewed about Raymond Chandler by a BBC journalist for a piece she did to mark the 50th Anniversary of his death. You can listen to the programme here. The Chandler segment starts about seven minutes in.
Extraodinary Day
I’ve just had the most exciting couple of days at UCLA. One of the librarians approached me today and told me that she had some uncatalogued Chandler letters and asked if I would like to see them. Continue reading
Raymond Chandler’s Hollywood Secretary
Judith Freeman has written a piece in today’s LA Times about her meeting Chandler’s secretary. Its an interesting piece and I thought I’d share it. Click here to read it.
The Bank of Italy Building
This is the building where Chandler had his office in the 1920s
I headed into downtown Los Angeles yesterday afternoon to visit the Bank of Italy buidling where Raymond Chandler had his office in the 1920s. Then, he worked for Dabney Oil and he did very well at the company, starting off as an accountant and working his way up to being a Vice-President before being dismissed in 1932 for drinking and absenteeism. Continue reading
Cissy’s Age
Cissy Chandler
On Wednesday, at the USC event to mark the 50th anniversary of Raymond Chandler’s death, Judith Freeman wittily pointed out that when she found Cissy Chandler’s death certificate at the Bodelian Library in Oxford, even that document got her date of birth wrong. It gives her birth date as 1886 making her sixty-eight at the time of her death. She was, in fact, eighty-four. Continue reading
New Penguin Editions
In the UK Chandler’s books were published by Hamish Hamilton. Hamish ‘Jamie’ Hamilton and Raymond became good friends, corresponding over many years and HH was – and still is – a great home for Chandler’s books. To mark the fiftieth anniversary of his death, they have released hardcover editions of The Big Sleep, Farewell, My Lovely, The Lady in the Lake, The Little Sister and The Long Goodbye. As you will see from this long, slightly dull post on the Penguin blog, they tried to base the covers on the first editions of the books and in that they were largely successful. I look forward to getting my hands on a set when I get home.